Join us this weekend (6/30-7/1) for an informal training and/or trail maintenance weekend on the Never Summer course.

Saturday, 8:00am: meet at the day parking area for the Ranger Lakes campground to run the southern section of the course. From Ranger Lakes to the Diamond aid station it is roughly 16 miles (with 2 mile jog on hard shoulder of Hwy14 back to Ranger Lakes – or car drops/shuttle can be arranged). A bigger loop from Ranger Lakes to North Diamond, across to Montgomery and down to Bockman and back to Ranger Lakes via the Grass Creek/Gould Mtn section of the course would be in the 32 mile range.

Sunday, 8:00am: meet at Ruby Jewel TH (or at the bottom of the Ruby Jewel Rd at 7:30am to carpool up to the TH). Run Kelly Lake/Hidden Valley, northern loop and back to Ruby via Canadian/North Yurt for 20/24 miles (with/without Clear Lake spur). A shorter option would be to shortcut on the access road to Canadian from the Kelly Lake junction (~16 miles).

Trailwork volunteers can meet up with us either day. We’ll mainly be working the southern Never Summer section of the course.

As you continue to ramp up your Quad Rock training, it is important to train smart to avoid injury and go into the race ready to perform at your best! Sometimes it can be difficult to find the right amount of training that will improve your running performance and not lead to injury. Unfortunately, many runners tend to overtrain. Most running injuries are categorized as “overuse” type injuries. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, IT band pain, and “runner’s knee”, are common injuries sustained by runners. The high injury rates are due to training errors, muscle weakness, poor mobility (either from muscle tightness or joint stiffness), or running technique. Understanding the importance of these variables and improving them will help you maintain your optimal level of performance and minimize your risk of injury.

This article will focus on training errors. Training errors can include progressing your program too quickly, running too many miles, or not allowing yourself enough recovery time. It is important to remember that every tissue (muscle, tendon, bone, and ligament) in your body is constantly remodeling itself. All tissues get stronger when you apply “controlled stress”. Controlled is the keyword. Overstressing a tissue by running too many miles, poor running form, not being strong enough, not having good mobility, or not having enough recovery time can lead to tissue breakdown and injury. However, applying the right amount of stress will cause the tissue to remodel itself stronger. The right amount of stress will vary from runner to runner. It will also depend on factors such as your nutrition, sleep, and stress level. You get stronger during your recovery. Good nutrition, getting enough sleep, and stress management strategies such as mindful breathing or meditation will optimize your recovery and improve your performance.

It is also important to remember that stress is cumulative. This means you may be able to get away will high mileage weeks for months or even years, but eventually it will lead to injury. Other activities such as strength training, fitness classes, and low impact cardiovascular exercise also stress your tissues. It is the combined total of all physical activities you need to be aware of when you consider how much you are stressing your tissues. It’s not just running! Additionally, tissue weakens as we age. Many young runners can log high mileage weeks without a problem. However, the problem (and injury) comes when they continue with that type of training as they get older. We don’t need to stop running as we get older. We need to train smarter. Smart training now will pay off down the road and you won’t become another running statistic.

If you notice a new ache or pain, back off your training for a few days. Our bodies are remarkable machines. Scaling back your training or taking a few days off can be exactly what your body needs to remodel itself stronger and allow you to resume your training program. In contrast, pushing through a minor ache or pain will cause more tissue damage leading to a longer recovery. So, listen to your body and keep running strong!

Gnar Runners Team

As we gear up for the 2018 Gnar Runners race season, we’re extremely proud to be able to introduce a passionate group of 15 local trail runners who together will make up the 2018 Gnar Runners Racing and Training Team.

Not only will you see the team out and about representing Gnar Runners at local and regional races this season, but they’ll also be helping to lead local training and social runs throughout the year to help you get ready for your target Gnar Runners races. The team has a broad range of running backgrounds and abilities, and will be available at local training runs to offer advice and company out on the trail.

Not only do these individuals have a passion for trail running, but importantly they also share the ideals and mission of Gnar Runners as trail stewards and Northern Colorado trail running community-builders.

Quad Rock Training

If you’re looking for some structure and a plan for your Quad Rock training, then take a look at our 18-week training outline, which offers plans for both the 50 and 25 mile races.

We will host a course preview training run on April 7 beginning and ending at the Soldier Canyon trailhead (the race start/finish). All abilities are welcome to attend and we will have many local runners attending to guide those coming in from out of town.

Join us the weekend of July 1st and 2nd for our annual Never Summer training and trail work weekend. This is an informal training weekend that will give you a chance to get up high and preview the trails that make up the Never Summer 100km course. Race staff and volunteers will also be out finishing up the final pieces of trail maintenance and we’d appreciate any support you can offer if you don’t plan on running.

For those out training, we will provide limited support with water drops and car shuttles for the following routes:

Saturday 7/1 (~16.5 miles, 33 miles) – 8am meet at the Ranger Lakes campground to run the southern section of the course. From Ranger Lakes to the Diamond aid station it is roughly 16 miles (with 2 mile jog on hard shoulder back to Ranger Lakes – or car drops/shuttle can be arranged). The full loop from Ranger Lakes to North Diamond, across to Montgomery and down to Bockman and back to Ranger Lakes via the Grass Creek/Gould Mtn section of the course is a little over 33 miles.

Sunday 7/2 (21 miles) – 8am meet at Ruby Jewel TH. Run up the Ruby Jewel Road to Kelly Lake/Hidden Valley. Complete the northern loop after descending from Kelly Lake and return via Canadian/North Yurt for 21/25 miles (with/without Clear Lake spur). A shorter option would be to shortcut south on the access road to Canadian from the Kelly Lake junction (~17 miles).